Mart managers look back on a good year for cattle prices

Jonathan O’Sullivan, Cahir Mark, Co Tipperary

“There are more farmers tempted to sell in this back end. There are extra weanlings sold that probably would’ve been sold normally in the spring but the good prices, great demand and the lack of fodder for some people have forced cattle out a bit earlier.

"It’s all looking good, we’ve often had negative stories but it’s been a good year for marts and prices.

“You’d be worried about calf exports, the longevity of them in the long term but here in the short term I don’t see any changes to them for next year.”

Mike Kissane, Cahersiveen Mart, Co Kerry

“With the reduction in the suckler numbers, I feel that the real, good quality cattle aren’t there and you have a certain clientele of people that want to buy them good cattle.

“There’s going to be fewer to go around. We have a competitive advantage, that we’re free of bluetongue. But if it did come in, it could finish the live exports. The live export trade is a very fickle trade and it can switch overnight. Maybe the days of the cheap cattle are all over because with the cost of production now, they’d want to be all over. We were long enough thinking that the price was bad but that’s changed.”

Teresa Gibsey, Ballinrobe Mart, Co Mayo

“The cow trade has been really strong here; there were about 1,200 cows that have gone through Ballinrobe this year and we’d be smaller with cattle numbers but we’ve noticed a lot more bullocks coming in.

“We are hoping that will continue into 2025. We are aware that it is going to be a quiet period from January and February, there will be a lot of farmers calving.”

David Quinn, Carnew Mart, Co Wicklow

“It was an unusual year in that prices hardened as the year went on. Particularly from September onwards when you normally have the peak of the cattle coming off the land for both marts and factories; generally, every year you see a decrease in the price and this year was the opposite.

“Probably a factor in the increase in live exports was the bluetongue on the continent with restrictions to North African markets. While those restrictions remain, you’re going to see very strong demand.”

Michael Lynch, Kilkenny Mart, Co Kilkenny

“We thought the trade was good in January but by December it was unrecognisable for all types of stock.

“Trade was scary; it was the first time we’ve had no sellers complaining, only the buyers. Can this keep going or what can derail it? If bluetongue came, an off-the-wall thing that could change the game or if some big markets were lost, that wouldn’t help.

“If there was some distortion to the thing, it mightn’t be pretty. There is no obvious thing on the horizon but you don’t see it until it happens.”